HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 10/27/2015 - Memorandum From Keith Elmund Re: 2014-2015 Lower Cache La Poudre River & Urban Creek Water Quality Report2014 - 2015
City of Fort Collins
Lower Cache la Poudre River
& Urban Creek
Water Quality Report
Students learn about possible pollutant effects on water quality as they study
macroinvertebrate populations in the Cache la Poudre River.
Report Prepared by
Keith Elmund, Ph.D., Environmental Services Manager, Utilities
Susan Strong, Environmental Regulatory Specialist, Utilities
Basil Hamdan, P.E., Stormwater Quality Engineer, Utilities
September 3, 2015
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2014 Lower Poudre River & Urban Creek Water Quality Report
Table of Contents Page
Introduction 3
Purpose of the Report 3
Executive summary 3
History of the City’s River, Creek and Stormwater Quality Monitoring Programs 5
Agencies with Monitoring Activities on the Poudre & Urban Creeks 6
The River Health Assessment Framework (RHAF) 6
2014 Lower Poudre River Flows 8
Lower Poudre Water Quality & Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)
Monitoring Programs and Costs
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MS4 Report & 2013 Program Highlights 10
Stormwater Quality Control & Low Impact Development (LID) Projects 19
Museum of Discovery Rain Garden 21
Utility Service Center Bioretention Cell Monitoring 23
2014 Stormwater Quality Monitoring Program Costs 29
Colorado Nutrient Criteria for Lakes, Reservoirs, Rivers & Streams 29
Nutrient Control Regulations and the Lower Poudre Monitoring Alliance 33
Urban Creek Water Quality Monitoring Program Highlights 38
Selenium Levels in the Lower Poudre River 39
Parkwood Lake Water Quality 42
E. coli contamination in Fossil Creek and Spring Creek 42
Appendix A. Fish and Macro-invertebrate Surveys with CSU on the Poudre 43
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2014 Lower Poudre River & Urban Creek Water Quality Report
Introduction:
This 2014 Lower Poudre and Urban Creek Water Quality Report provides a water quality-
focused summary of the scope, status and trends of the City’s monitoring efforts on the Cache la
Poudre River through Fort Collins and three urban creeks in our community. The presentation
includes discussion of current and future regulatory changes and initiatives that affect the
Poudre. In addition, key stormwater quality enforcement and improvement efforts, regulatory
requirements, activities and associated compliance and non-compliance issues are also
highlighted. Details on river and creek monitoring site locations, test parameters, key results and
trends are presented. It must be noted, however, that aspects of this report are limited in scope:
flow and water quality are just two of many key factors that influence and reflect the health of a
river or creek. Other factors include man-made changes and activities as well as stream
geomorphology and the abundance and diversity of its biological community. The ability of the
biological community in a stream to survive and thrive is dependent, in part, on the quantity,
quality and physical characteristics of the water flow as well as stream habitat. Future
monitoring reporting efforts and programs will strive to identify, assess and explain the
interdependencies that tie together the many factors affecting the health of the Poudre and urban
creeks in our community.
Purpose of the Report:
In order to fulfill City Council's goal of protecting and enhancing the Poudre River as outlined in
Council Resolution 92-14 "Framework for Environmental Action", Resolution 95-14
“Approving the Watershed Approach to Stormwater Quality Management” and Resolution
2000-128 “Recognizing the Need to Protect Water Quality”, City staff has prepared the
following status report on water quality conditions in key urban creeks and the Cache la Poudre
River through Fort Collins. This report also includes summaries on the 2014 status of several
MS4 and low impact development (LID) improvement programs in the City’s Stormwater
Program.
Executive Summary:
In 2014 several significant regulatory changes occurred that reveal both positive and negative
trends in current water quality conditions in the Poudre through Fort Collins as well as our urban
creeks.
1. Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit Program Activities: In 2003,
the City obtained coverage under the Phase 2 MS4 General Permit and began implementation
of the required program. This federally mandated program is administered by the Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Water Quality Control Division
(WQCD). Fort Collins is currently in its second permit term, which expired in 2013 but has
been administratively extended until the WQCD renews it. The goal of the program is to
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minimize the amount of pollutants entering streams, creeks, lakes and rivers as a result of
rain water and snowmelt from residential, commercial and industrial areas. The following six
minimum control measures must be met: public education and outreach, public participation,
illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site stormwater runoff control, post-
construction site stormwater management, and pollution prevention/good housekeeping for
municipal operations. Details on 2014 MS4 program activities begin on page 9.
2. Low Impact Development Program and Progress: In effect since March 1, 2013,
Ordinance 152-2013, commonly referred to as the City’s Low Impact Development (LID)
Policy, addresses the City’s requirements and incentives for a more distributed stormwater
runoff management program. It requires a minimum level of stormwater treatment and
controls that rely primarily on filtration and infiltration to manage storm runoff. Additional
details on current LID programs begin on page 18.
3. Nutrient Control Regulations: The WQCD implemented a new pollution control program
in March 2013. The regulation focuses on limiting the discharge of the nutrients nitrogen and
phosphorus into state waterways. These nutrients can promote the growth of nuisance algae
that can adversely affect water quality and disrupt the food web in lakes, reservoirs, rivers,
and streams. In addition, algae blooms can create aesthetic problems (visual, taste, and odor)
for drinking water supplies and adversely impact recreational activities like swimming and
fishing. This program is having long-term significant cost impacts on capital improvements
operation and maintenance of the City’s two water reclamation facilities. This program is
called Nutrient Control or Regulation 85 (Reg85). Additional details about this regulatory
change and where we currently stand are presented beginning on page 28.
4. Selenium levels and the 303(d) impaired listing of the lower Poudre: Water quality
conditions in the Cache la Poudre River from Shields Street downstream to just above
Boxelder Creek (Segment 11) are currently listed by the WQCD as better than all WQCD-
defined aquatic life stream standards except for the levels of selenium. Selenium is
associated with shale and is naturally present in the soils, river- and creek-banks in our area.
Additional monitoring has shown that the reported high levels of Selenium in Segment 11 are
no longer being observed. In 2015, the WQCD is reporting that Segment 11 as well as
Segment 12 from Boxelder Creek downstream to the confluence with the Platte will be
removed from the list because the data is showing attainment of the stream standard. Further
details regarding this issue are presented on page 38.
5. Both Fossil Creek and Boxelder Creek are listed as “303(d)-impaired” (low priority) for
high selenium levels. Like the Poudre, exceedences of regulated selenium levels in Fossil
and Boxelder Creeks were the result of stricter selenium standards and not reduced water
quality in the creeks. City data show that high selenium levels in our urban creeks are
observed during and immediately after major storm events. In addition, any activities that
erode creek banks or otherwise contribute to soil erosion can contribute to higher selenium
levels in the water. Further details on this issue are presented on page 38.
6. Both Fossil Creek and Spring Creek 303(d) listed as impaired, high priority, for
seasonal E. coli contamination: E. coli is an indicator of fecal contamination. Although
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these bacteria can be pathogens, their presence in water also indicates that other water-borne
disease-causing enteric bacteria (Salmonella, Shigella) may also be present. In our urban
creeks, high E. coli levels show strong seasonal trends with the highest levels appearing
during the late spring and summer months and the lowest levels during the late fall and
winter. These urban creeks are listed as a “high priority” because of the corresponding high
probability of human and animal contact during recreational activities in nearby parks. The
State is expecting proactive corrective control measures to be taken on this issue. In
response, additional creek water quality monitoring and field survey efforts are underway to
ensure that possible illicit discharges such as leakage from sewer pipes or septic systems are
not contributing to the problem. Additional details on this issue begin on page 42.
Natural disasters, regulatory changes and corresponding impacts at the local level point to the
continued need for long-term, proactive monitoring and testing programs for the Poudre and our
urban creeks. Successful water quality monitoring programs will help keep our community at
the forefront of environmental protection efforts and provide the data necessary for careful
stewardship of our limited resources.
History of the City’s River, Creek and Stormwater Quality Monitoring
Programs:
In the mid-1970s, the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission held its first stream
classification hearings for the Cache la Poudre River. At that time, both Federal and State Clean
Water Act mandates were being implemented across the state and the nation. Unfortunately,
little or no water quality data were available for the Poudre as it flowed past the City’s two
wastewater treatment plants. At the Commission’s hearings it quickly became apparent that
because of this lack of data, the City was at both a tactical and strategic disadvantage: data was
needed to assess the impacts of the treated discharges from its two wastewater treatment plants
on the river. As a result, the City initiated several long-term monitoring efforts to gather flow
and water quality data to protect both the Poudre and City interests.
Since the late 1970s and in cooperation with the US Geological Survey (USGS), the City has
been monitoring both flow and water quality in the Cache la Poudre River above and through
Fort Collins. Beginning in the early 1980s, and in cooperation with Colorado State University
and Kodak Colorado Division (KCD), the USGS program was expanded to include assessments
of the fish and benthic macro-invertebrate communities in the Poudre. At that same time, City
staff from the Pollution Control Lab began weekly water quality monitoring both up- and down-
stream of the City’s two wastewater treatment plants. The City-CSU-KCD cooperative program
expanded in 2007 to form the Poudre Monitoring Alliance.
The Poudre Monitoring Alliance is part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) award
winning Performance Track program. It brings together under one roof the monitoring efforts of
the City, Boxelder and South Fort Collins Sanitation Districts, the Town of Windsor, Carestream
Health (formerly KCD) and the City of Greeley. The alliance monitors over 42 miles of the
Poudre at ten separate sites from Lincoln Street to its confluence with the Platte.
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In the fall of 2012, the Alliance was expanded to meet the requirements of the Colorado Nutrient
Control Regulations, Reg85. Leprino Foods, Inc., joined as a cooperating agency. Net effects of
this consolidation include reduced costs and heightened cooperation among the affected agencies
and communities that discharge to the lower Poudre.
Since 1984, the City has monitored water quality in Parkwood Lake. The lake receives storm
water inputs from the area bounded by Drake and Lemay Avenues. Beginning in 2000, the
program was expanded to include routine testing at three urban creeks: Boxelder Creek, Spring
Creek and Fossil Creek. Two sites on each creek are monitored each calendar quarter for a
variety of water quality parameters including potential E. coli and selenium contamination that
have been issues in the past.
Agencies with Monitoring Activities on the Poudre & Urban Creeks in Fort
Collins:
Natural water bodies in the Fort Collins area are actively monitored at numerous locations to
evaluate the impacts of human and natural activities on water quality. Water quality datasets for
some locations on the Poudre in the City begin in the mid-1970s. The Poudre, as it flows
through town from Shields Street to Boxelder Creek (Segment 11), is currently sampled,
monitored, and tested by several agencies, including: the City of Fort Collins, Colorado State
University (CSU), the WQCD, CDPHE, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, the USGS, In-Situ, Inc.,
Boxelder Sanitation District, and RiverWatch.
The River Health Assessment Framework
The City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department and Utilities Service Area developed the
River Health Assessment Framework (RHAF) to clearly define the City’s vision for a healthy
and resilient Poudre River. This vision includes aspirations for improving the Poudre River’s
health as well as sustaining current ecosystem function. The RHAF was developed to help guide
and inform the City’s efforts to support watershed services and river management efforts. The
scope of the RHAF encompasses the entire Poudre River as it affects the City, from its
headwaters to Windsor, but with greater emphasis on the reach extending from the City’s water
supply intake in the lower Poudre Canyon to I-25.
The RHAF is a functional condition assessment tool for the Poudre River and is closely modeled
on the Functional Assessment of Colorado Streams (FACStream) framework (M. Beardsley,
pers. Comm. Jan. 10, 2015). It provides a meaningful, objective means by which to organize,
monitor and report comprehensively on specific metrics of river health. Through its application,
the RHAF can assist the City in evaluating key stressors on the river and guide future dialogue
about how the City can work in a targeted way to sustain a healthy, resilient Poudre River.
The RHAF evaluates ten key physical, chemical and biological indicators of river health,
including water quality. The key metrics for evaluating water quality across the different river
reaches include temperature, nutrients, pH and dissolved oxygen. Data collected from the City’s
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water quality monitoring programs, including the Lower Poudre Monitoring Alliance will be
included in this assessment. Specifically, data provided by the Alliance will serve as the primary
source of information about water quality in the lower reaches of the Poudre through Fort Collins
and past I-25. Aquatic macroinvertebrate data collected through the Alliance will also be used to
evaluate a second key indicator: aquatic and riparian Wildlife.
In application, the current year water quality will be evaluated against historical observations as
well as against the recommended concentration ranges that were developed to support desired
conditions. Each metric will be assigned a letter grade (A to F) that corresponds to a functioning
status (e.g. a “B” grade indicates highly functioning). A full description of the recommended
ranges and the corresponding grading system for each of the key indicators and metrics is
provided in the 2015 RHAF Report and Appendices.
2013 Lower Poudre River Flows and the September Flood
In 2013 spring runoff flow rates in the Poudre were substantially below the levels observed in
2009 through 2011 but were higher than 2012. The 2013 September flood flow rates exceeded
the monthly total acre-feet during spring runoff flows by almost a factor of three. It is of interest
to note that the numbers and biomass of brown trout observed during the November 2012 CSU
fish survey upstream of Lincoln Street exceeded levels observed in 2011. However, the fish
survey completed after the 2013 flood showed reductions in both the abundance and biomass of
fish recovered from the Poudre. The September flood also scoured much of the ash sediments
from the riverbed. The fall 2014 fish survey reveal that this scouring had a positive effect on
restoring macro-invertebrate populations and encouraged a strong recovery of fish populations in
the lower Poudre.
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2010 – 2014 Comparative monthly flows at the Lincoln St Gage
Comparison of Wet, Dry and Average Year Flows at the Lincoln St Gage
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Lower Poudre Water Quality Programs & Municipal Separate Stormwater
Sewer System (MS4) Monitoring Programs and Costs:
2014 Monitoring Program Description Cost Comment
USGS: October 2012 – September 2013
U.S. Geologic Survey cooperative
monitoring program for six flow and two
water quality sites on the Cache la Poudre
from the Michigan River near Cameron Pass
to the gage station upstream of Boxelder Cr.
$133,270
City’s share: $101,450. Federal funds
cover the remaining portion of the
cooperative program.
Poudre River: City’s Pollution Control and
Water Quality Lab monitoring on Cache la
Poudre River at both up- and down-stream
sites from water reclamation facilities with
both a weekly schedule and 8 special data
collections for the Poudre Monitoring
Alliance including the CSU fish and benthic
macro invertebrate surveys.
$92,152
Cost value of field sampling, field
measurements and lab work; includes
City’s portion of Lower Poudre
Monitoring Alliance Program.
Urban Creeks: City’s Pollution Control and
Water Quality Lab quarterly monitoring at two
sites on three urban creeks plus Parkwood Lake
at three locations twice each year.
$7,000
Cost value of field sampling, field
measurements and lab work.
2014 CSU Fish and Macro-invertebrate
Biosurveys on the Poudre through the City as
part of the Lower Poudre Monitoring
Alliance Program
$26,000
Fort Collins share of this portion of
Lower Poudre Monitoring Alliance
Program
2014 Nutrient Control Regulation – Reg85
Cooperating Agencies
$17,750 Fort Collins portion was $2,700
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
(MS4) Permit Compliance Program
$324,452
Managed by the Division of
Government and Regulatory Affairs
In 2014, the City committed over $600,000 to collect flow and water quality data on the lower
Cache la Poudre River as well as water quality data on key urban creeks, Parkwood Lake,
stormwater and for MS4 permit compliance. USGS flow and water quality data are used to help
manage operations at the City’s two water reclamation facilities and to manage its extensive
water rights portfolio. The data is also used to assess regulatory compliance and stormwater
impacts on key urban creeks in the City as well as the river.
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2014 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program Highlights:
The City of Fort Collins is required by the Colorado Water Quality Control Division (WQCD) to
have a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit in order to discharge stormwater
from its MS4 into State waters. The City must implement a Colorado Discharge Permit System
(CDPS) Stormwater Management Program in accordance with the MS4 permit. The City’s
Stormwater Management Program is a comprehensive program comprised of six minimum
control measures designed to decrease the discharge of pollutants from its MS4. Each measure
requires several detailed elements that must be implemented annually or on an ongoing basis.
In addition to maintaining permit compliance, the elements facilitate protection of water quality
and habitat of the Cache la Poudre River and our urban streams. City employees take pride in
implementation of these pollution prevention measures and the resulting urban watershed
quality. Listed below are the minimum control measures, a summary of the requirements and
2014 accomplishments.
1. Public Education and Outreach - The permittee must implement a public education
program in an effort to promote behavior change by the public to reduce water quality
impacts associated with pollutants in stormwater runoff and illicit discharges.
Highlights of the 2014 stormwater education program:
• The City’s WaterSHED (Stormwater Habitat Education Development) program
educated 3,889 students and 1,316 adults, for a total of 5,417 student and 861 adult
contact hours.
Students learn about stream ecology through the WaterSHED program
• Community outreach events that included watershed and stormwater education
included Poudre Watershed Bus Tours, Poudre RiverFest, NoCo Nature Festival, and
a Kiwanis Club presentation
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• Twenty adults were trained though the Master Naturalist program, which included a
four-hour segment on water quality monitoring
• Interpretive signage is displayed at select outdoor classrooms in Fort Collins, as well
as the Low Impact Development pilot projects
• Storm drain markers were installed on 433 storm drain inlets
• The Children’s Water Festival had 1659 student participants
• Responded to 57 requests for a special events permit with information about
stormwater pollution prevention
• The 2014 Stormwater Business Outreach program empowered 57 local pet businesses
to act as ambassadors to their employees and the community using educational
postcards and posters about the effects of pet waste on local water quality. To
complement the business program, targeted outreach for residents included:
• 250 metal signs installed at pet waste stations in all City parks
o Ben & Jerry’s ice cream coupons were presented to people seen picking up
pet waste
o Posters were installed posters in park shops and kiosks
2. Public Participation and Involvement - The permittee must provide a mechanism and
process to allow the public to review and provide input on the CDPS Stormwater
Management Program.
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• An annual update of the permit Stormwater Management Program is presented to the
Natural Resources Advisory Board and the Water Board. The 2014 MS4 Permit
update included a summary of the 2013 MS4 Permit annual report, 2013 highlights of
the minimum control measures, and a regulatory update on the MS4 Permit renewal
process and proposed changes.
• The City’s MS4 Permit Stormwater Management Program description and 2008-2014
annual reports are posted on the City’s website at:
http://www.fcgov.com/utilities/what-we-do/stormwater/stormwater-
quality/management-program
3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) - The permittee must develop,
implement and enforce a program to detect and eliminate illicit discharges into the
permittee’s MS4. During 2014, staff
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resident continued to park a leaking vehicle over this storm drain, even after educational attempts
and a warning. This incident resulted in a municipal citation issued to the responsible party.
• responded to 53 spill complaint calls, including site visits, incident investigations, on-
site and phone education, delivery of educational door hangers and follow-up letters
• issued seven written and two verbal notices of violation and provided education for
24 incidents
• issued one charge to recover pollutant cleanup costs and one municipal summons,
resulting in a 2015 sentence
• participated in ongoing collaboration with the Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) Hazmat
Team
• coordinated and participated in a Mock Spill Response Exercise Drill with PFA
• coordinated and participated in the multi-agency Spill Boom Training including the
Environmental Protection Agency, PFA, and Larimer County
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Discharge of groundwater related to construction activities is regulated via a Colorado Discharge
Permit System permit. This illegal discharge was stopped and the responsible party was not
allowed to continue without the proper permit.
4. Construction Site Runoff Control – The permittee must develop and implement a program
to assure adequate design, implementation, and maintenance of BMPs at construction sites
within the MS4 to reduce pollutant discharges and protect water quality.
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Properly installed inlet protection prevents construction site sediment and related pollutants
from entering the storm sewer system inlet.
• Staff conducted 2304 full level and 408 reconnaissance inspections on 101
construction sites for sediment and erosion control.
• Inspections included 860 individual building sites and an annual average of 91
development sites.
• Enforcement measures for noncompliance with erosion control requirements
included:
o 821 verbal notices
o two written notices
o 23 building permits and certificates of occupancy held
• 862 building permits held on individual lots to ensure BMPs installation
• Signed off on 727 Soil Amendment Certifications
• Responded to over 500 phone calls addressing customer questions regarding soil
erosion control, stormwater pond inspections and permit compliance
• Attended 21 development construction permit meetings
• Assisted City staff with the development of erosion control plans for ten City projects
including the Drake Water Reclamation Facility (DWRF), Water Treatment Facility
and the Forney Property Dirt Sifting Operations
• Advised City departments and contractors on construction stormwater permit and
stormwater management plan requirements for various projects
• Coordinated and presented at CDPHE Construction Dewatering Training for project
managers
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A windshield inspection reveals improper practices on this construction site, resulting in discharge
of sediment to the street and gutter.
5. Post-Construction Stormwater Management in New Development/Redevelopment - The
permittee must develop, implement, and enforce a program to address stormwater runoff
from new development and redevelopment projects that disturb greater than or equal to one
acre, including projects less than one acre that are part of a larger common plan of
development or sale, that discharge into the MS4. The program must ensure that controls
are in place that would prevent or minimize water quality impacts.
• Staff performed inspections on 126 private water quality ponds and 184 private
stormwater detention ponds
• A total of 550 inspections were performed, including follow up inspections to ensure
compliance with maintenance requirements
• Enforcement measures included 116 written and 32 verbal notices of violation for
maintenance issues
• Staff added 21 new stormwater basins to the stormwater system (SWIMS) database
• Staff responded to an MS4 permit post-construction program deficiency with CDPHE
reporting and program improvements
• Staff partnered with CDOT on Regional Water Quality BMPs and Stormwater Master
Plans
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In addition to flood prevention, water quality basins are designed to detain stormwater long enough to
remove sediment and associated pollutants from stormwater.
An improperly maintained water quality outlet structure can plug, causing an excess buildup
of sediment and debris, and allowing excess vegetative growth in the concrete drainage pan.
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Proper maintenance of this basin entails regular cleaning of the outlet structure
and removal of debris and vegetative growth from the concrete pan.
6. Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping (P2/GH) for Municipal Operations - The permittee
must develop and implement an operation and maintenance program that includes an
employee training component and has the ultimate goal of preventing or reducing pollutants
in runoff from municipal operations.
• Staff conducted Stormwater Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping/Hazardous
Waste Training for 348 City employees
• Staff provided outreach on treatment and discharge of super-chlorinated water from
water line installation
• Staff conducted Snow and Ice Training for Streets
• Staff conducted stormwater pollution prevention and waste management audits at
Drake Water Reclamation Facility, Water Treatment Facility, and Streets Facility as a
component of the Environmental Management System
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Facilities are evaluated for proper management of wastes and materials, which helps prevent
discharge of pollutants to the storm sewer system.
.
Many activities, such as participation in stakeholder groups and outreach, supplement and
support MS4 Permit requirements. Staff participated in the following:
• Reconvened the City Stormwater Quality Team
• Gave two presentations and panel discussion at Montana Stormwater Conference
• Represented the Colorado Stormwater Council in the National Stormwater Summit
• Moderated WEFTEC MS4 Stormwater Program Topics Session and Panel Discussion
• Provided outreach on Construction Dewatering activities/permits
• Continued Treated Water Management Plan discussions with Water Field Operations
• Provided outreach on MS4 compliance and municipal code to Police Services
• Coordinated with staff and legal counsel to compile comments on the draft MS4
Permit
• Participated in the CSU Colorado Stormwater Center steering committee
• Advised on the development of the Resource Recovery Farm Sand & Gravel Permit
Stormwater Management Plan
• Collaborated with Front Range Community College and City Attorney’s Office
regarding an MOU for coordination of permit requirements
• Advised on potential permitting and permit transfer issues for the Woodward project
• Attended meeting with IT to facilitate tracking of storm drain markers
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Stormwater Quality Control Low Impact Development (LID) Program
City Council requested a review of the Stormwater Program in October 2008. Council directed
that additional emphasis be placed on improving stormwater quality and protecting the City’s
urban watersheds while preserving natural and beneficial functions of floodplains. The resulting
Stormwater Utility Repurposing program review consisted of 14 major components:
- Stormwater Purpose Statement - Stormwater Criteria Update
- BMP Policy Update - Stormwater Rates
- Urban Stream Health - LID Policy Review
- Floodplain Regulations - Level of Protection Policy
- City-Owned BMP Review - Stormwater Quality Sampling
- LID Demo Projects - Detention Pond Landscaping
- Homeowner Association (HOA) Assistance Program
- Stormwater Quality Geographic Information System (GIS) Coverage
In effect since March 1
st
, 2013, Ordinance 152-2013, commonly referred to as the City’s LID
Policy, addresses City requirements and incentives for a more distributed stormwater runoff
management program. It includes a minimum level of stormwater treatment and controls that
rely primarily on filtration and infiltration to manage storm runoff. The overall goal of this effort
is to improve the quality of life, to support economic health and to enhance and protect the City’s
natural resources.
Key components of the LID program include:
• An overall site planning approach that promotes conservation design at both the watershed and
site levels.
• A site design philosophy that emphasizes multiple controls distributed throughout a development,
as opposed to a central treatment facility.
• The use of swales and open vegetated conveyances, as opposed to curb and gutter systems.
• A focus on stormwater volume reduction rather than peak flow reduction.
The City has been engaged in construction of LID of both public and private demonstration
projects since 2009. These projects were intended to provide guidelines for specific measures
that should be recommended for different types of land uses. The existing projects are currently
being monitored for structural integrity, cost of maintenance as well as for stormwater quantity
reduction and water quality improvement. Ongoing monitoring will guide refinement of future
LID policies.
New development projects must have at least 50% of their site area treated through LID-type
(infiltration based) technology and at least 50% of any added pavement needs to be pervious.
This reduces the volume of runoff from paved areas and improves water quality. The ordinance
also allows for an equal or better standard. The intent of this equal or better standard was to
enable staff to make informed judgments in cases where one standard cannot be met. However,
it ensures that the entirety of the site design meets the scope, spirit and the intent of the
ordinance.
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Since March 2013, a total of 22 development projects have been approved that comply with the
ordinance. These projects used a combination of techniques to reach the minimum 50% LID
requirement. In general this requirement has been easily met through a combination of measures
including bio-retention (more commonly known as rain gardens) and pervious pavement.
Bioretention has been used in 21 of these projects and pervious pavement used in 12. A
combination of both measures was used at nine of these sites. The equal or better standard was
applied in four cases. 100 % LID-type technology was provided through bioretention, while the
25% permeable pavement requirement was not met due to site physical conditions including
excessively steep slopes or presence of expansive clay. Some projects noted above did not have
to meet the pervious pavement requirement since none was added.
Next Steps in the LID Program:
The City staff intends to closely monitor LID performance in meeting the goals of the ordinance.
This will include investigation of implementation barriers and challenges such as unfamiliarity
with construction techniques, lack of coordination between different sub-contractors and lack of
training for construction inspectors.
To that end, the City has contracted with CSU to complete a survey of all existing LID facilities
in the City. Four tasks have been identified: 1) monitoring of the performance of recently
constructed LID facilities, 2) evaluation of compliance of new developments with industry
recognized construction techniques, 3) evaluation of LID performance with respect to clogging
and maintenance, and 4) evaluation of construction inspection procedures that will minimize
future performance and maintenance issues.
In addition, the City is creating a database that will allow it to track the location, type and
performance of all existing LID installations. It will be tied to the City’s GIS mapping program.
It is expected that this database will facilitate performance evaluation of LID structures and
guide the establishment of inspection frequencies.
A report will be developed in 2014 that highlights lessons learned from this survey regarding
construction inspection, recommended maintenance regimes and standard operating procedures
for inspection and maintenance. In early 2015 the Stormwater Department will provide a report
to City Council updating results of the LID installations survey and recommending potential
updates to the LID ordinance based on the survey findings.
Potential Updates to the LID Ordinance: At the end of this evaluation period the Utility may be
recommending updates to the LID ordinance. Potential updates include:
• Adding more flexibility and variety in the types of LID facilities that are accepted,
enabling more innovative and cost effective designs.
• Providing additional incentives for the installation of LID-type facilities.
• Allowing LID-type facilities to be constructed on a block scale. This would allow
multiple adjacent small developments the use of a shared facility, reducing construction
costs and the amount of land consumed.
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• Establishing a payment in lieu of construction fund that would allow the City to use the
funds to construct LID facilities in retrofitted areas within regional City-owned facilities.
This would help reduce the maintenance issues associated with privately owned and
maintained sites.
Fort Collins Museum of Discovery Rain Garden
In 2014 Stormwater Department staff found that the existing Museum of Discovery parking lot
landscaped island drainage system did not function as intended. The drainage swale, as
designed, did not properly evacuate water and presented an aesthetic problem in a City of Fort
Collins highly visible signature site. In cooperation with the City’s facilities department and with
the design help of Ripley Associates and Northern Engineering, a design plan was developed to
restore the area and to create a rain garden filled with native landscapes.
Concept Plan:
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Construction of the Museum of Discovery Rain Garden Project is slated to begin in late summer
of 2015 with landscape installation in the fall. The project will include educational signage to
inform the public on the benefits of rain gardens.
23
Utility Service Center Stormwater Bioretention Cell (BRC) Monitoring Program:
The City of Fort Collins initiated a demonstration project to construct a retrofit bioretention basin
at the City’s Utility Service Center parking lot. The goal of the Fort Collins project was multi-
faceted and involves a significant monitoring effort. The drainage basins contributing to these
bioretention areas are highly impervious, fully developed, lack room for idealized construction
conditions or standard designs, and contain a significant amount of public right-of-way or paved
areas typical of urbanized environments. The City of Fort Collins has partnered with Colorado
State University to collect and analyze data from a variety of LID-type BMPs, including this
project.
24
View of the Utility Bioretention Pond looking southeast from 700 Wood St.
In 2014 the City continued to monitor the performance of the bioretention cell (otherwise
referred to as a “Rain Garden”) located at the Utilities Service Center parking lot at 700 Wood
Street. Following is a summary of the results of the investigation completed by Colorado State
University researchers at this site.
Study Objectives:
The overall objective of this study was to determine the performance of the BRC at removing
pollutants from stormwater runoff and reducing the overall volume of stormwater runoff
discharged to receiving waters. With respect to stormwater pollutant reduction, the objectives
were to estimate the average annual pollutant load reduction for total suspended solids (TSS),
total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). TN and TP are nutrients that can cause
eutrophication of receiving waters and are potentially subject to the Reg85 promulgated by
CDPHE. The analyte TSS is not a pollutant per se, but has long been used as a surrogate
measure of BMP performance because of other pollutants (e.g., heavy metals) tendency to attach
to particulates in urban stormwater. It is often assumed that the removal of TSS has a direct
correlation with the removal of other pollutants.
With respect to reducing stormwater runoff volume, the objectives of this study were to estimate
the average annual runoff volume reduction provided by the BRC and estimate the contribution
of infiltration and evapotranspiration (ET) processes that provide runoff volume reduction.
Many of the problems associated with urban stormwater can be alleviated by reducing
stormwater runoff volume through infiltration into the groundwater and/or ET, and better
understanding the contribution infiltration and ET can help to predict BMP performance at
locations with different geologic and climatological conditions.
25
Site Description:
The BRC is located at 700 Wood Street, Fort Collins, Colorado and receives runoff from a
99,000 ft
2
parking lot. The BRC has a surface area of approximately 1,900 ft
2
and a water
quality capture volume (WQCV) of approximately 1,400 ft
3
, which is about 33% smaller than
the WQCV required by the Utility’s current design criteria.
The basin is divided into two cells, defined as East and West in this report. During a runoff
event, the East and West cells receive approximately 85% and 15% of the total parking lot
runoff, respectively. Runoff from each cell first enters a forebay comprised of pea gravel where
trash and large particulates are removed. After flowing through the forebay, runoff enters the
ponding area where runoff infiltrates through the filter media and into the gravel storage
reservoir below. Runoff that accumulates in the gravel storage reservoir can either infiltrate the
groundwater or discharge through the underdrain which is connected to the stormwater drainage
system.
As shown in Figure 1, the BRC includes approximately 18 inches (in.) of filter media, 6 in. of
pea gravel and 16 in. of CDOT #4 aggregate. The pea gravel and CDOT #4 aggregate comprise
the gravel storage reservoir previously mentioned. From the gravel storage reservoir, water
either infiltrates into the native soil below or is discharged through an underdrain system. The
underdrain is 6 inch perforated PVC pipe and acts to discharge water from the gravel storage
reservoir once water reaches a certain depth within the gravel storage reservoir. (Note: The
underdrain depth was different in 2013 and 2014; this is discussed in more detail below). One
underdrain serves both the east and west cells and water passing through the underdrain is
discharged into the storm sewer nearby.
Underdrain Design and 2014 Modifications:
The BRC was originally designed with the underdrain being approximately 6 inches above the
bottom of the gravel storage reservoir. This meant that water discharged through the underdrain
and into the storm sewer once the depth of water exceeded 6 inches in the gravel storage
reservoir. The 2013 monitoring results presented in this report were collected with this
underdrain design.
In the spring of 2014 a vertical riser was installed on the underdrain system by CSU. The riser
(Figure 2) essentially raised the depth of the underdrain to approximately 12 inches above the
bottom of the gravel storage reservoir. The intention of raising the underdrain was to allow more
water to infiltrate into groundwater table below; instead of being discharged through the
underdrain and into the storm sewer. The 2014 monitoring results presented in this report were
collected with this modified underdrain design.
26
Cross-section of bioretention cell
Photograph of underdrain riser configuration installed in 2014 to encourage stormwater
infiltration into the ground
27
Bar-chart showing total volumes of water entering and leaving the BRC system during the 2013
and 2014 monitoring seasons. Note the drop in underdrain discharge to the stormwater
collection system.
The summer of 2014 was unusually wet resulting in over twice as much runoff as compared to
the summer of 2013. However, the total volume of water discharged through the underdrain and
into the storm sewer in 2014 was less than half of that measured in 2013. The amount of runoff
that was infiltrated back into the groundwater during 2014 was greater than the total amount of
runoff that occurred in 2013. There was very little difference in the total volume of water
evapotranspirated. This is because the filter media has a limited capacity to capture and store
water during runoff events.
Average annual total (TP) and dissolved (DP) phosphorus loads entering the BRC (influent) and
discharging back to the storm sewer system (effluent).
28
Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations for the Bioretention Cell (BRC)
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the BRC at the City
utility parking lot in terms of stormwater pollutant and runoff reduction. The BRC was
monitored during the summers of 2013 and 2014 by CSU and data were analyzed to achieve this
objective. Prior to the 2014 monitoring season, the BRC underdrain system was modified to
determine if a different underdrain design could increase the overall performance of the BRC.
Overall, the BRC is working very well to reduce the amount of stormwater pollutants and runoff
discharged from the City utility parking lot to local waterways. In 2013, the BRC prevented
about 600 pounds (lbs) of TSS and 10 lbs of TN from being discharged directly to the storm
sewer system; however the BRC actually increased the discharge of TP by about 1.5 lbs. Of all
the runoff generated from the parking lot in 2013, approximately 25% was prevented from
entering the storm sewer system by infiltration and ET provided by the BRC.
Performance of the BRC significantly increased in 2014 due to the modified underdrain design.
TN removal increased from about 10 lbs/year to about 20 lbs/year and TP removal increased by a
net total of approximately 3.5 lbs/year. (Note: In 2013, the BRC exported about 1.5 lbs of TP and
in 2014 it reduced about 2 lbs of TP). The increase in pollutant load reductions in 2014 was
primarily due to the modified underdrain design which increased the amount of runoff that
infiltrated back into the groundwater instead of being discharged through the underdrain into the
storm sewer. Due to this demonstrated increase in performance, is highly recommended that the
City consider modifying its bioretention design criteria to include this modified underdrain
design.
One issue that the result of this monitoring project also revealed was that the materials used in
the bioretention filter media mix (i.e., compost and topsoil) may act as a source of TP and result
in a net increase in TP discharges from bioretention cells. If the filter media mix is in fact the
source of TP, it may be that the excess TP will slowly leach out and eventually be depleted. If
this is the case, this problem may only be temporary. Since nutrient removal is a critical issue
for compliance with the Reg85, it is recommended that the City continue to study this problem
and potentially seek alternative bioretention filter media mixes that will not leach TP.
29
2014 Stormwater Quality Monitoring Program Costs:
Program Description
Cost
Comments
Event-based Best Management
Practices (BMP)
Stormwater Quality
Monitoring Program
$ 3,000
Equipment, Replacement and
Repair
Discovery Center Rain Garden
Design Costs
$ 2,900
Construction costs to be funded by the City’s
Operations Services Department
USC Bioretention Cell/
Rain Garden Monitoring
$ 30,000 Includes Data Collection, Analysis and Lab Costs
Pavement Maintenance
Research activities and
Analyses
$ 15,000
Data collection, data analysis, and site evaluation.
Funded through a Stormwater Utility-CSU research
contract
Total
$ 50,900
Colorado Nutrient Criteria for Lakes, Reservoirs, Rivers & Streams
Background: Nutrient criteria were adopted in the March 2012 Regulation 31 Basic Standards
Hearing. In preparation for that hearing, the WQCD developed preliminary criteria for TP and
TN.
The nutrient criteria will consist of both treated effluent quality limits via Control Regulation 85
for permitted dischargers and Stream Standards defined in the WQCD’s Regulation 31:
The Control Regulation (Reg85) will define technology-based requirements for dischargers to
control the release of nutrients and will be based on the best available technology:
Treated Effluent Control
Parameter
Annual Median Effluent
Concentration
95 Percentile Effluent
Concentration
TP 1.0 mg/L 2.5 mg/L
Total Inorganic Nitrogen
(TIN)
15 mg/L 20 mg/L
TIN: The sum of Ammonia-Nitrogen, Nitrate-Nitrogen and Nitrite-Nitrogen in milligrams per liter.
MS4 to implement control measures including:
• Public education and outreach targeting potential nutrient sources and
30
• Identification and control of nutrient sources from municipal operations
• Both wet and dry weather monitoring at representative stormwater outfalls throughout the
MS4 (urban growth) area.
• Monitoring requirements for Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs):
o Monthly effluent monitoring for TIN, TP and total daily flow
o Monthly in-stream monitoring above and below the POTW discharge for TN and
TP as well as total daily stream flow from an established gaging station
Results of the first year of monitoring were reported to the WQCD in March of 2014.
Cost Implications for the City to Implement Required Wastewater Treatment Nutrient
Controls:
• Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) upgrades were completed at the Mulberry Water
Reclamation Facility (MWRF) in the summer of 2011. If future Colorado regulations
require Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) of phosphorus and nitrogen to achieve
tougher limits, an additional eight million dollars in capital improvements will be needed
at the MWRF.
• Both capital improvements and operational changes are underway that will bring the
DWRF into compliance with the proposed tighter BNR limits on discharges of TP and
TIN.
Fort Collins Water Reclamation Facility BNR Construction Timeline and Costs: The
MWRF re-started with BNR operations on July 5
th
, 2011. Treatment processes are being fine-
tuned to achieve effluent levels of nutrients below the newly Reg85 established control limits.
Design and construction improvements to the DWRF for BNR are underway as described in the
following table:
Reclamation Facility Current Status Cost
MWRF Upgrades Complete $25.2 Million
DWRF: North Treatment
Trains
Construction completed in
October 2012
$7.5 Million
DWRF: South Treatment
Train
Design: 2014
Construction: 2015
$5.9 Million
Note: Should ENR be required in the future, an additional $50 to $60 million dollars in capital
improvements will be required at the DWRF.
Are we meeting the Reg85 Nutrient Control requirements? Yes, for TIN removal
but ‘No’ for TP Removal. Why not? Effective phosphorus removal requires a simple carbon
source like ethanol or methanol, or simple fatty acids like acetate. We are investigating the use
of beer waste from a local brewer to meet that need. Also, the related Drake process
improvements for full BNR are not quite complete but should begin operations in the fall of
2015.
31
Official Reg85 monitoring for the removal of TIN began in March of 2013. The graph above
depicts the results of two years of testing. TIN is defined as the sum of the individual levels of
Ammonia-Nitrogen, Nitrite-Nitrogen and Nitrate-Nitrogen in the treated effluent. Monitoring is
required monthly but if more samples are tested, those results must be included in the
calculations. For the first two years of testing, both the MWRF and DWRF were in full
compliance with the new Reg85 limits for removing TIN.
Compliance monitoring for Reg85 began in March of 2013. Data collected through March 2015
depicted in the graph shown on the following page show that the MWRF treated effluent is in
compliance with the Annual Median Limit for TP removal but not the 95
th
percentile limit.
However, capital improvements for BNR-level treatment are not complete and hence the DWRF
effluent is not yet in compliance with the limit. Capital improvements are nearing completion
and the DWRF expects to become operational in full BNR-mode in the fall of 2015.
32
Nutrient Control River and Stream Standards (Regulation 31): This regulation will set
water quality standards based on the need to protect designated uses (water supply, agriculture,
etc.). The WQCD has developed the following stream standards for TP and TIN levels for rivers
and streams:
Proposed Nutrient Criteria Regulated Standards for Rivers and Streams (From Shields Street
to the Platte, the Poudre is classified as “warm water”)
Designation TP
†
TN ‡ Chlorophyll-aª
Cold Water 0.11 mg/L 1.25 mg/L 150 mg/m
2
Warm Water 0.17 mg/L 2.01 mg/L 150 mg/m
2
† Running annual median of TP (µg/L) with an allowable exceedence frequency of 1-in-5 years.
‡ Running Annual median TN. TN is the sum of the levels of Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, Nitrate-Nitrogen and Nitrite-
Nitrogen.
ª Summer (July 1 – September 30) maximum attached algae, not to exceed.
33
Nutrient Control Regulations and the Lower Poudre Monitoring Alliance:
In the fall of 2012, the Lower Poudre Monitoring Alliance extended their cooperative efforts to
meet the requirements of Reg85. This alliance includes the Cities of Fort Collins and Greeley,
the Town of Windsor, Carestream Health, the Boxelder Sanitation District and Leprino Foods,
Inc. As required by regulation, all of these entities now collect river water samples once each
month both up and downstream of their respective discharge points. River samples along with
treated effluent samples are delivered to and tested at the City’s Pollution Control Lab. Lab
results are reported once each year to the participants, CDPHE and uploaded to EPA’s national
Water Quality Exchange internet database. The data will be used to assess compliance with the
requirements of Reg85 and the program will continue indefinitely.
Aerial map showing locations of key gaging stations, effluent discharger points and water
quality monitoring sites on the lower Poudre that are part of the cooperative Lower Poudre
Monitoring Alliance. A detailed sampling and analysis plan was submitted to the WQCD in
February 2013 and is available for review. Full implementation of the cooperative monitoring
program began in March 2013. USGS and Colorado Department of Water Resources (DWR) gaging
stations used for Reg85 compliance are located on the Poudre at:
• Lincoln Street (432 PLNC) in Fort Collins,
• above the confluence with Boxelder Creek (370 PBOX),
• below Fossil Creek Reservoir at the New Cache Ditch (DWR CLARIVCO gage),
• the Staff Gage (225 SGage) above the Town of Windsor and Carestream Health outfalls,
• the DWR CLAWASCO gage above Greeley’s and Leprino Foods discharge points and
• the DWR CLAGRECO gage below the City of Greeley near Fern Avenue.
34
Note: the numeric descriptive before the site abbreviation, 432 PLNC for example, is code for
the approximate river mile location (43.2 miles) upstream of the confluence of the Poudre with
the Platte River
How to Read a Boxplot or a Box & Whisker Plot
1. First note the location of the median (white line) in the
box. If the median is in the middle the box, the data is
not skewed to a predominance of high or low values.
The overall height of the box indicates the overall
range or distribution of the data. A tall box indicates a
wide range in values.
2. The top and bottom of the box define the upper and
lower quartiles at 25% and 75%.
3. The maximum and minimum values (excluding
outliers) are represented by the horizontal lines at the
end of the whiskers.
4. Outlier data points are represented by dots.
35
Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO3-N) levels in the lower Poudre are a key indicator of potential compliance
issues with Reg85. The City monitors four sites on the Poudre for nitrate levels. Proceeding
from Lincoln Street (PLNC), to the Nature Center (PNAT), then to the USGS Gage above
Boxelder Cr (PBOX), and then at the Archery Range, the running annual median Nitrate-N
levels do not exceed the stream standard of 2.01 mg/L.
TP levels are another key indicator of the nutrient status of the Poudre and compliance with
Reg31. High levels of phosphorus can promote algal growth, lower dissolved oxygen levels in
the water, create nuisance odor and adversely affect the aesthetics of an out-of-doors experience.
Under extreme conditions, algae can produce toxins that can affect both the aquatic community
and animals including humans, pets and livestock.
36
Poudre Site Legend: 1-PLnc (Lincoln St), 2-PPros (Prospect), 3-PNat (Nature Center), 4-PBox
(above Boxelder Creek), 5-PArch (Archery Range), 6-PFos (below Fossil Creek Reservoir).
With near weekly monitoring completed since June of 2012 and even with the spikes in levels
nutrients observed in High Park Fire stormwater samples, the Cache la Poudre River through
Fort Collins upstream of Boxelder Creek is in compliance with the Reg85. However, median TP
levels at the Archery Range below the confluence with Boxelder Creek exceeded the annual
median limit of 0.17 mg/L. In the spring of 2014, the Boxelder Sanitation District completed a
ten million dollar upgrade to its treatment plant to perform full BNR, which will help bring next
year’s data at PArch into compliance with the new TIN and TP limits.
Results since March 2013 indicate that the Poudre at the Archery Range as well as sites
downstream are not in compliance with the Reg31 limits. These high levels of phosphorus are
due, in part, to return waters from irrigated fields and stormwater runoff from confined animal
feeding operations. Other sources of nutrients include municipal stormwater as well as industrial
and community wastewater treatment plant effluents.
37
Urban Creek Water Quality Monitoring Program Highlights:
The CDPHE has established public use classifications and water quality standards for Spring
Creek and Fossil Creek designed to protect aquatic life and support public uses, recreation and
agriculture. Available water quality data from November 2000 through August 2007 show that
Fossil Creek and Spring Creek consistently meet water quality standards for pH, dissolved
oxygen, and nitrite designed to support aquatic life.
The water quality standard for the indicator bacteria, E. coli, is designed to protect recreational
use. Spring Creek and Fossil Creek are both designated as “Recreation Class 1a” water bodies.
This classification indicates waters where primary contact occurs including swimming and
frequent water play by children. Water quality data for E .coli show strong seasonal trends with
individual values above the water quality standard primarily during summer months. Sources of
E. coli contamination include human and animal waste. Controlling or minimizing
contamination from improper connections to the City’s river and creeks is the focus of the
Utility’s Illicit Discharge Program, a component of the City’s stormwater quality program.
In 2006, Fossil Creek was included on CDPHE’s list of impaired waterbodies for non-attainment
of the selenium water quality standard. Available monitoring data shows selenium values
consistently above the water quality standard. High concentrations of selenium are found in
local shale deposits.
The EPA has published more stringent selenium standard of 4.6 ppb in a revision of water
quality criteria. Consequently in 2006, Colorado adopted this as a water quality standard and is
now placing numerous river and stream segments on the 303(d) list for selenium. The following
local stream segments were put on the 303(d) list in 2006 due to exceeding the new selenium
standard:
• the Poudre River from Boxelder Creek to where it meets the South Platte River,
• all of Fossil Creek, and
• Boxelder Creek, from its origin in northern Colorado to where it meets the Poudre River.
Selenium is naturally occurring in the underlying shale. The listings given above were a result of
a new lower standard and not changing water quality. Selenium can be mobilized by
precipitation runoff and infiltration to surface water and groundwater, resulting in elevated
stream concentrations.
As directed in City Council Resolution 2000-128, “Recognizing the Need to Protect Water
Quality”, the City monitors Boxelder Creek, Spring Creek, and Fossil Creek at two sites every
calendar quarter for inorganic chemicals, dissolved oxygen and bacteria. Parkwood Lake is
sampled twice per year for bacteriological, physical, and chemical parameters.
38
2006 – 2014 Maximum, Average and Aquatic Life Table Value Standard for Selenium
Levels in Fort Collins Urban Creeks.
Legend:
BoxCr56 = Boxelder Creek at County Road 56
BoxCrSG = Boxelder Creek at Staff Gage located south of Prospect St.
FosCr287 = Fossil Creek at Hwy 287
FosCr34 = Fossil Creek at County Road 34
SprCr287 = Spring Creek at Hwy 287
SprCrEP = Spring Creek at Edora Park
The WQCD has listed both Boxelder Creek and Fossil Creek as 303(d)-impaired for the
naturally elevated levels of selenium. The Table Value Standard (TVS) for selenium in
these creeks is set at 4.6 micrograms per liter (parts per billion, ppb). Selenium is
associated with the shale common to soils in our geographic region. The City’s Pollution
Control Lab monitors the selenium levels in waters from each of these three urban creeks
at two locations every calendar quarter. Additional testing is done at these sites each
calendar quarter for the presence of nutrients, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, E. coli,
etc.
39
These boxplots show substantially higher and a broader range of selenium concentrations
in waters from Fossil Creek than in either Boxelder or Spring Creeks. Selenium levels in
both Boxelder Creek and Fossil Creek exceed the table value standard for aquatic life.
Hence, they have been listed as 303(d)-impaired for selenium. Selenium levels in Spring
Creek are below the Table Value Standard and are in compliance. Storm events,
construction and other physical-mechanical events can mobilize selenium from creek-
beds.
40
Legend:
1. Poudre at Lincoln Street above discharge point for the MWRF
2. Poudre at Nature Center at Poudre diversion to Fossil Creek Reservoir Inlet Ditch
3. Poudre at Boxelder Gage, USGS 6752280
4. Poudre at Archery Range downstream of Boxelder Sanitation District discharge
5. Poudre at CR 32E below discharge from Fossil Creek Reservoir;
6. Poudre at Staff Gage above the Windsor and Carestream Health discharge points
7. Poudre below Windsor Discharge point and above Carestream Health’s discharge point
8. Poudre below Carestream Health’s discharge point to the river
9. Poudre above Greeley’s and Leprino Foods discharge points to the Poudre
10. Poudre at Fern Avenue approximately 2 miles above confluence with the Platte
Very low selenium levels have been observed in the Poudre at the Lincoln Street Gage. Moving
downstream, selenium levels gradually increase to Site 4 below the confluence of Boxelder
Creek where the height of the boxplot and outliers indicates highly variable data. Then selenium
levels continue to increase moving downstream past the discharge points for Windsor,
Carestream Health, Greeley and Leprino Foods. Much of that selenium increase may be
attributed to irrigation return waters and non-point-source discharges to the Poudre.
41
Parkwood Lake Water Quality: Since 1983, the City has shared in an agreement with
the Parkwood Property Owner’s Association (POA) for water quality monitoring on Parkwood
Lake. The lake receives water from Arthur Ditch and stormwater from City streets. In return for
giving permission for the City to use the lake as a receiving waterbody for stormwater, the City
committed to an ongoing water quality monitoring program.
Twice each year, field measurements are taken and water samples are collected for testing at
three defined locations near the shoreline of the lake. A summary of the data since 2006 is
presented in the table below. Water quality is currently meeting applicable standards. However,
there may be issues complying with the strict “nutrient criteria” standard for TP in the future.
Phosphorus is a common constituent of lawn and garden fertilizers as well as a contaminant in
animal and bird feces.
2006 - 2014 Parkwood Lake Water Quality Summary
Parameter Average Max Min Std
Meets
Standard?
Ammonia-N (Nitrogen), mg/L (n=23) <0.1 0.3 <0.1 TVS † Yes
Biochemical Oxygen Demand-5 Day, mg/L 5.81 13 <2 none Yes
Conductivity, µmhos/cm (n=12) 380 712 234 none Yes
Dissolved Oxygen, mg/L (n=39) 8.8 13 4.4 5 Yes
E. coli per 100 ml (n=39) 16.1 (geomean) 9,800 <1 126 ‡ Yes
Hardness, mg/L as CaCO3 (n=13) 149 263 111 none Yes
Lead, µg/L (n=5) <5.0 <5.0 <5.0 10.55 Yes
Nitrate-N, mg/L (n=14) <0.05 0.09 <0.05 10 Yes
Nitrite-N, mg/L (n=13) <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 0.5 Yes
pH (n=27) 8.4 8.7 5.9 6.5 - 9.0 Yes
Silver, µg/L (n=6) <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 3.27 Yes
Temperature, °C (n=39) 16.9 24.6 8.4 I.D. Yes
Total Phosphorus, mg/L (n=14) 0.10 0.21 <0.05 0.083 a Yes
Zinc, µg/L (n=6) <5.0 <5.0 <5.0 393.2 Yes
Legend:
† TVS: Table Value Standard based on pH and temperature calculation
‡ Standard is based on geometric mean calculation of available stream or lake data
I.D. = Insufficient Diurnal Data.
a: Possible compliance problem with very strict future "Nutrient Criteria" Standards for
Total Phosphorus in Lakes and Reservoirs. Exceedence of the new standard is only allowed
once every five years. High phosphorus levels may contribute to the growth of nuisance
algae on the lake.
The maximum E. coli value of 9,800 per 100ml occurred with a single grab sample collected on
October 29
th
, 2013. However, the Table Value Standard of 126 E. coli per 100ml is calculated as
a geometric mean. Geometric mean calculations using log10 exert a leveling effect on the result
by reducing the extremes. The geometric mean value for the lake is well below the standard at a
level of 16.1 E. coli per 100ml. The pH at that location was also low at a value of 5.9. The other
two sites had pH values of 6.5 and 7 that day. The minimum observed dissolved oxygen level of
4.4 mg/L was at one of three locations on the lake tested on June 5
th
, 2012. The other two sites
tested that day gave normal results of approximately 7.5 mg/L dissolved oxygen.
42
E. coli contamination in Boxelder Creek, Fossil Creek and Spring Creek:
Using several years of City and USGS data and focusing on the months of April through
October, the Colorado WQCD has determined that both Fossil Creek and Spring Creek are now
303(d)-listed as “impaired” for E. coli contamination. Both creeks were also given a high
priority designation for developing corrective actions. Potential sources of E. coli contamination
include failing septic systems, leaking sewer lines, domestic animals (pets, cattle, horses, etc.)
and wildlife. Additional monitoring to identify potential point sources of contamination within
the creeks will need to be completed.
The diagram presented below depicts the overall and seasonal geometric mean values of E. coli
levels found in key Fort Collins urban creeks for the 2006 – 2014 timeframe compared to the
stream standard of 126 E. coli per 100 ml. E. coli levels were monitored once each calendar
quarter for this time period and the overall and seasonal (April through October) geometric
means were calculated per WQCD procedures. The overall geometric mean values (n=20) for
each site were all below the 126 E. coli / 100 ml limit set by the WQCD. However, data for the
April through October showed the creeks to be in violation of the water quality standard.
Plot of 2006 – 2014 Overall and April through October E. coli levels in Fort Collins key
urban creeks versus the stream standard of 126 E. coli per 100 milliliters (ml). All three
urban creeks are listed as 303(d) – seasonally impaired for high E. coli levels during the
spring and summer months. Two sites each at Fossil Creek, Spring Creek, and Boxelder
Creek are sampled quarterly.
43
Appendix A. Fish and Macro-invertebrate Surveys with CSU on the Poudre:
To evaluate the potential impacts of the City’s two wastewater treatment plants on the Cache la
Poudre River, the Utilities sponsors a biosurvey program of fish and bottom-dwelling macro-
invertebrates in the river both upstream and downstream of the City’s water reclamation
facilities. CSU provides the field experience and technical expertise for these studies. The City,
Carestream Health, Inc. (formerly Kodak Colorado Division) and CSU have participated for over
30 years, and Boxelder Sanitation District joined the program eight years ago.
The biosurvey program expanded in 2007 and became an integral part of the Poudre Monitoring
Alliance. For the City of Fort Collins and as part of the regional Poudre Monitoring Alliance,
this biosurvey program includes: 1) testing four sites eight times each year for bacteriological,
physical, and chemical parameters, 2) testing three sites four times each year for benthic macro-
invertebrate population abundance and diversity, and 3) testing two sites once each year for fish
abundance and diversity. Overall the data show strong seasonal trends with generally the highest
species diversity and population numbers in early summer months. Similarly, the data show that
the Poudre River below Shields Street to the confluence with the Platte River is primarily flow
and habitat-limited rather than water quality-limited.
2014 Fall Season Fish Survey Results on the Cache la Poudre from
Dr. Kevin Bestgen, CSU
Percent abundance and biomass results by species are presented for four sites on the Poudre
starting upstream of Lincoln Street in Old Town to the Strauss Cabin located upstream of I-25.
The complete 2013 Poudre water quality, fish and macroinvertebrate survey report from CSU is
available from the Utility’s Environmental Services Division.
44
45
46
Site Legend:
P-1: Approximately 75 m upstream of the Lincoln Street Bridge in Fort Collins
P-2: Approximately 200 m upstream of the Prospect Street Bridge in Fort Collins
P-3: Poudre River adjacent Boxelder treatment plant, east edge Environmental Learning
Center
P-4: Poudre River near the Strauss Cabin upstream of I-25
P-5: Poudre River, 1/4 mile upstream of CR 32E below Fossil Creek Reservoir discharge
P-6: Poudre River, Staff gage site just above Windsor sewage effluent
P-7: Poudre River at Sharks tooth, old bridge crossing below Carestream Health discharge
P-8: Poudre River, about 1/3 mile upstream of 59th Avenue above Greeley
P-9: Poudre River, just upstream of Hwy 85 upstream of the Greeley WWTP discharge
P-10: Poudre River, above confluence of South Platte River
47
Site Legend:
P-1: Approximately 75 m upstream of the Lincoln Street Bridge in Fort Collins
P-2: Approximately 200 m upstream of the Prospect Street Bridge in Fort Collins
P-3: Poudre River adjacent Boxelder treatment plant, east edge Environmental Learning
Center
P-4: Poudre River near the Strauss Cabin upstream of I-25
P-5: Poudre River, 1/4 mile upstream of CR 32E below Fossil Creek Reservoir discharge
P-6: Poudre River, Staff gage site just above Windsor sewage effluent
P-7: Poudre River at Sharks tooth, old bridge crossing below Carestream Health discharge
P-8: Poudre River, about 1/3 mile upstream of 59th Avenue above Greeley
P-9: Poudre River, just upstream of Hwy 85 upstream of the Greeley WWTP discharge
P-10: Poudre River, above confluence of South Platte River